Creating A More Inclusive Workplace For Employees With Disabilities

October marks the beginning of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and with this comes the necessary discussion about the employee experience for those with disabilities.

Over the last 18 months, companies have collectively understood the need to adjust their own policies to better support the wellbeing of their employees. Offering flexibility and agility in employee work arrangements has been critical during this time.

However, while creating a personalized experience for employees has been a hot topic, those with disabilities still get the least amount of attention.

In fact, a recent survey from Global Disability Inclusion in partnership with Mercer found that employees with disabilities are less satisfied with their workplace than their non-disabled counterparts.

So how can business leaders adjust their own practices and improve the experience of employees with disabilities?

For starters, creating an accessible work environment is crucial. Whether that means adding captioning during meetings, or simply providing the option to request accommodations can help make the work day more seamless for these employees.

Introducing and altering interview practices can also create a more inclusive experience. For instance, candidates with disabilities may not pick up on the nuances of interview questioning, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified for a position. Adopting different approaches for each candidate during the interview process means that everyone gets a fair shot.

Lastly, leaders with disabilities should speak up in order to create an environment that normalizes, educates, and supports the workforce.